Clarke injured in Australian innings
Clarke reinjured his troublesome left hamstring as he made just 11 from 20 balls.
PERTH, Australia (AFP) - Australian captain Michael Clarke suffered another hamstring injury as his side capitalised on some good fortune to recover from a top order collapse in the opening one-day international against South Africa at Perth s WACA Ground on Friday.
After being sent in to bat in the first game of the five-match series, the home team recovered from a shaky 144-5 on the back of a George Bailey half-century to post 300 for eight from their 50 overs.
Clarke reinjured his troublesome left hamstring as he made just 11 from 20 balls and was immediately ruled out of taking any further part in the match.
The injury casts a cloud over his participation in the remainder of the series, and the first Test against India is just three weeks away.
Bailey made 70 from 106 balls, including three sixes, but was dropped on four occasions and should never have reached double figures.
Hit on the back by the first ball he faced from Dale Steyn, Bailey was dropped twice in successive deliveries he faced when he was on just two, as South Africa stuck back with a vengeance following an opening stand of 94 by David Warner (46) and Aaron Finch (35).
David Miller dropped a sitter at point from the bowling of Morne Morkel, and then in the next over spinner Imran Tahir grassed a simple caught and bowled chance.
Bailey had two more lives on 38 and 47, the latter one also resulting in South African fielder Farhaan Behardien being forced from the field with a minor shoulder injury sustained in a diving attempt to complete the catch.
Bailey s luck came to an end when he skied a drive from the bowling of Steyn and was brilliantly caught by a back-pedalling Faf du Plessis at mid-off.
Although the South Africans squandered their chances to remove Bailey, Ryan McLaren and Morkel also took two superb diving catches during the Australian innings.
Warner and Finch, who was adjudged LBW on one but had the decision overturned by the third umpire, rode their luck early to put Australia in a strong position to post a commanding score.
However, the pair fell within three balls of each other and the home side lost five wicket for 50 runs.
Seamer Vernon Philander led the way for the Proteas, claiming both the openers on his way to figures of 4-45 from his 10 overs.
